The present invention relates to carts in general and, more particularly to carts that are easily modified for differing applications such as indoor use and outdoor use, towable by a mechanized tug or movable by hand.
The wide range of utility carts can be found in various phases and application of business and industry, and even in personal use. However, most carts in use today are limited, in that they are typically configured for a single application, and generally are not designed to support multiple uses or are reconfigurable to adapt the cart to multiple uses. This results in requiring either expensive and time consuming modification to an existing cart or the expense of acquiring a new cart to fill a particular application. When multiple applications are required at a single location, an entire fleet of carts may be required to fill individually specific purposes with the resultant xe2x80x98clutterxe2x80x99 of an excess number of carts hampering the work efficiency of a site.
This is particularly prevalent in the film and video industry, where film sites are small and require frequent moving from site to site. The carts typically used at film sites are usually of a fixed configuration with one mode of steering. However, as film sites move from urban to rural areas a cart with a wider track (width between wheels) may be desired for improved stability, or a narrow track on hard urban surfaces where space is a premium and a narrow track cart is desired. Additionally, the carts are often towed by a mechanized tug or vehicle between sites or within a large site, and then are repositioned by hand at the site. Optimum steering modes differ between individually towed carts, a train of towed carts, or single carts repositioned by hand. Therefore, there is a need in the industry for a cart that is readily reconfigurable for multiple uses and has reconfigurable modes of steering.
One aspect of the present invention is a modular cart. The cart comprises a load carrying frame and a wheeled carriage supporting the load-carrying frame. The carriage includes a front carriage assembly pivotally coupled to a front of the frame and a rear carriage assembly pivotally coupled to a rear of the frame. The front and the rear carriage assemblies are substantially identical. Each carriage assembly comprises an axle pivotally coupled at a vertical midpoint axis to the load-carrying frame. The axle is pivotal about the vertical midpoint axis and is selectable between a first position pivotally fixed with respect to the load carrying frame and a second position freely pivotal about the axis. A caster wheel assembly is attached to each of the ends of the axle. The caster wheel assembly is pivotal about a vertical end axis and is selectable between a third position pivotally fixed with respect to the axle and a fourth position freely pivotal about the vertical end axis.
Another aspect of the present invention is a modular cart comprising a steerable wheeled carriage comprising at least a front and a rear axle and a plurality of wheel assemblies attached to ends of the axles to support the cart on a surface wherein the wheeled carriage is selectable between at least two modes of steering. A load-carrying frame is supported by the carriage and further comprising a plurality of horizontally and vertically arranged beams. Each beam defmes at least two horizontal slots substantially extending along a length of the beam. A plurality of fasteners are partially captured in the beam slots and further engage connector plates to interconnect the plurality of horizontal and vertical beams into a desired framework defming at least one storage area. The beams, the fasteners, and the connector plates are infinitely adjustable along the slots to selectably create different sized storage areas optimized to a desired configuration.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is a modular cart comprising a load-carrying frame further comprising a plurality of horizontally and vertically arranged beams. Each beam defines at least two horizontal slots substantially extending along a length of the beam. A plurality of fasteners are partially captured in the beam slots and further engage connector plates to interconnect the plurality of horizontal and vertical beams into a desired framework defming at least one storage area. The beams, the fasteners, and the connector plates are infinitely adjustable along the slots to selectably create different sized storage areas optimized to a desired configuration. A wheeled carriage supports the load-carrying frame and further comprises a front carriage assembly pivotally coupled to a front of the frame and a rear carriage assembly pivotally coupled to a rear of the frame. The front and the rear carriage assemblies are substantially identical. Each carriage assembly comprises an axle pivotally coupled at a vertical midpoint axis to the load-carrying frame. The axle is pivotal about the vertical midpoint axis and is selectable between a first position pivotally fixed with respect to the load carrying frame and a second position freely pivotal about the axis. A caster wheel assembly is attached to each of the ends of the axle. The caster wheel assembly is pivotal about a vertical end axis and is selectable between a third position pivotally fixed with respect to the axle and a fourth position freely pivotal about the vertical end axis.